


Like a Stab to the Heart

by knightinsourarmor



Series: Fictober 2020 [1]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Bi Disaster Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Coming Out, F/F, Fencing, First Kiss, Hot Mess Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-03
Updated: 2020-10-03
Packaged: 2021-03-08 00:02:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,869
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26766235
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/knightinsourarmor/pseuds/knightinsourarmor
Summary: Marinette wanted Kagami to teach her fencing. They both learn a little bit more.For the Fictober prompt: “that’s the easy part”
Relationships: Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug/Kagami Tsurugi
Series: Fictober 2020 [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1950880
Comments: 1
Kudos: 82
Collections: Fictober20





	Like a Stab to the Heart

"No. Again. Let's do this again."

"Are you sure we can't take a break?"

"We just took one, Marinette."

"Doesn't feel like it."

Marinette stands across from Kagami. One of them is sweating and frowning, trying to catch their breathe. The one is watching the other one impassively but considering. Barely any sweating and definitely not panting.

Marinette was a superhero! Why was this so challenging for her? She should be able to handle herself against Kagami. Even if she wasn't that well knowledgeable about fencing and the rules, she shouldn't be so tired after a few rounds. Yet here she was, heart racing and sweating terribly. Her face felt unreasonably warm. It was frustrating but Marinette didn't want to show how upset she was. Kagami had taken the time to show her the ropes and kept on helping her, even when Marinette messed up or kept on losing. She felt if she complained it would upset her friend. 

"I'm sorry. I know we just did. I'm just feeling tired still."

Kagami frowned and approached Marinette, keeping her helmet under her arm. She reached out to touch Marinette's forehead and then pulled away a few moments later. Marinette froze up when she touched her, but it wasn't like when she was around Adrien. She did try not to share at Kagami. It just felt polite. There definitely wasn't any other reason!

"You don't feel like you have a fever. You're face is rather warm but I wouldn't say from sickness." Kagami thought about it for a moment. "Are you getting enough sleep?"

What a question. Marinette nodded fervently, more than she needed to. She didn't want Kagami to become suspicious of, well, anything. It wasn't as if saying she didn't would reveal her identity as Ladybug, but she had to be careful. So she nodded. 

"Yeah. Of course. Why wouldn't I be sleeping at night? Not like I got anything else to do! Haha."

"Are you sure?" Kagami seemed inclined to believe her, but there was something to her expression. Marinette was ready to defend herself from whatever she said, but her next question wasn't what she expected. "I know we have tons of homework and you make clothes right? You aren't staying up to finish working?"

Marinette paused. "Well sometimes. But I try not to!"

Kagami nodded like Marinette had confirmed something for her. "You should take care of yourself. It's important to get sufficient rest in order to be at your peak. You can get sick if you do it enough times."

"Don't worry about me Kagami. I'll be fine! Not like I'm some old man or anything. I can lose a few hours of sleep."

"You say that now but when you get older you will realize how important it is to keep healthy."

Marinette wasn't sure what to say to that. She was probably right, but she was a superhero! The rules were different for her, right? Kagami headed over to the nearby wall of the gym they were practicing in. She tossed Marinette a water bottle before getting herself some. Marinette fumbled with the bottle, nearly dropping it twice, but managed not to make a complete fool of herself. For now. She took a long drink, sighing in relief at the cool water. She moved over to the side as well, dropping down besides her bag. Tikki seemed to peer up at her, looking ready to comment at her, but unable to as Kagami joined her. The two girls drank and rested in silence for several minutes. Marinette did her best not to stare at Kagami again. She wasn't even sure why she was doing it. Maybe she was jealous? Now only was Kagami talented but she was so pretty. Her hair was all pulled back to keep it out of her face. And now that they were closer, Marinette could see that she was flushed herself. So she wasn't completely fine after all that fencing.

Kagami finally caught her eye and raised an eyebrow. Marinette practically shoved the bottle down her throat and looked away.

"Are you ready to keep going?"

"Yeah! Of course! Just checking to see if you were ready to go."

"I am."

Marinette watched her for a moment as Kagami stood and got into position once more. She followed closely behind, ignoring the sighing she heard from Tikki. It was fine. She hadn't done anything wrong! So why was she feeling so nervous?

Marinette got back into her own position remembering the tips that Kagami had given her. Once more they fenced about the gym and once more did Marinette lose. She lost several more times before stopping. 

"I don't think I can do this. I feel like you need to move my body for me."

"I don't see how that would help. You'd have no one to practice against. If you are insistent though, I could try." Kagami moved towards her and Marinette found herself nervous again. What was the matter with her? She stiffened up for a moment as Kagami started to adjust her position, performing a move and then helping guide Marinette through it. It helped, but as they went on, Marinette found herself... distracted. And so she kept on making mistakes. 

"I wish I could just stab people and be done with it."

"That’s the easy part." Kagami gave a small smile. She was close, so very close, and Marinette felt her face get warm again. She was prettier up close. She smelled good too, which she felt was unfair with the way they were working up a sweat. "The rest is all in getting your opponent to open up. To slip up and make a mistake. You seem unfocused Marinette and I think that is part of your problem."

Kagami touched her face, a thumb running itself down her jaw. The air in the room seemed to shift and change. Marinette felt like she forgot how to breathe. What was happening? Yet she didn't move. She just stared at her friend. Letting her continue. 

"You have to remain sharp and aware. It's a fight. In a real one you could make a big mistake. I can show you what to do and go over the rules and the best way to get a quick win, but it's up to you and your abilities to put them to use."

Kagami tilted her head, her face getting awfully close to Marinette's. It felt like she was looking into her soul. She felt dizzy and almost unstable. Like if she moved, she'd fall over. 

"I can tell you're quite athletic despite you not seeming the type. You're smart too. I'm sure you could come up with a good plan on beating me if you wanted to. So I think it's your lack of focus that is the problem. What are you distracted by?"

Was Kagami going to kiss her? Was that was what was about to happen? She could barely process what she was saying beyond complimenting her. Marinette had no idea what to do or if she was even interested in the idea, but she didn't move. Didn't push Kagami away. She started to close her eyes, letting what happened happen. 

But it never came. She could still feel Kagami's hand on her face, still feel her close by, but nothing happened. Marinette peaked one eye open and then another when she saw a pained look on the other's face. Marinette reached out to her now, concerned. 

"What's the matter?"

"I'm sorry. I got too bold." Kagami started to pull away but suddenly Marinette moved forward. The kiss as haphazard and clumsy. A bit too much teeth and not really gentle. Nothing like what a first kiss should be, but Marinette felt that if she did nothing, it never would have happened. Kagami looked openly shocked before concealing it behind an impassive expression, looking away from Marinette. Marinette looked like she was ready to scream, confused and flustered. Why did she do that?! 

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Kagami. I didn't mean- I shouldn't have- I just thought, I don't know what I thought. I just... it felt like you wanted to kiss me."

Kagami was silent for several months more, not looking at her. Marinette's mind was moving a mile a minute, telling her how much she fucked up. How she had ruined this friendship and of course Kagami didn't want to kiss her. Why would she want to do that? She was an idiot! She wasn't even interested in girls, right? _Right?!_ She was so panicked and in her own head that she nearly missed what Kagami said, her voice unusually soft.

"I'm a lesbian."

"What?"

"Nothing. I should go. This was a mistake. You'll have to ask someone else to teach you."

"No, wait, Kagami!" Marinette reached out to grab her by the wrist. She didn't want her to get the wrong impression. "That's not it! I just didn't know that. I thought you were interested in Adrien."

Kagami shrugged. "He's nice. Safe. I thought it would be easier, better, if I liked him. If I were to date him. Then no one would ask questions. I wouldn't have to deal with it."

"You shouldn't have to do that to yourself. Having to hide part of who you are." Marinette felt like she wasn't one to speak considering a big part of her life was concealing a secret identity, but being a superhero who saved Paris all the time was different from hiding one's sexuality. "Adrien's great! I'm sure he'd tell you the same thing."

"What about you?"

"What about me?"

"You kissed me, Marinette." 

She did, didn't she? Marinette dropped Kagami's wrist putting her face in her hands, back to freaking out once more. What did that mean for her? She still loved Adrien, but if she was being honest with herself, she didn't mind kissing Kagami again. Did she like her? Was she a lesbian, or no. Her feelings for Adrien weren't for show. She did love him. There was a word for that right?

"I don't know."

"You don't know?"

"I just kind of did it on impulse. I thought if I didn't, you'd never try and kiss me again."

"You want me to kiss you?"

"I, um, sure sounds like it!"

Kagami sighed, rubbing her forehead. "Well next time just say something."

"Next time?"

"You don't want a next time?"

Marinette had no idea what she wanted if she was being honest. Kagami seemed to pick up on that. She sighed again. 

"Take your time thinking about it. I'm not going anywhere. And I'll be happy to keep on teaching you. As long as you promise not to tell anyone. I'm not ready to come out yet." Marinette nodded. 

"I'm good at keeping secrets. That's the easy part." The rest she was going to have to work out. Especially if she was going to keep hanging out with Kagami. Secrets, though. Secrets she had handled completely. "I think we should end here. Do you.. want to go get some ice cream or something?"

Kagami took a moment before a small smile came to her face. "I would love to."


End file.
